Israel - Trish's pics

Israel Blog

Well we are home. It was an unforgettable trip. Finding out how Christianity came to be through the Jewish people has opened many windows for us all. I am confident that there will be further reading on the subject over the days and weeks to come. I am sure all will agree our faith has deepened both in our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ but also in each other and in our fellowship here in St Giles and St George. The last day began as we tried to find our way across the base of Lake Galilee and on to Nazareth and so to our final teaching place, Caesarea on the Mediterranean Sea. The difficulty came because there was a bike ride around Galilee. Some 33 miles of road thronged with cyclists of every shape and size from small toddlers on parents' bike to grandparents I am sure. In Nazareth we talked about Mary and Joseph and the boy Jesus as he grew into manhood and studied at the feet of the learned men of the synagogue and the Temple. As ever Kishcush, our Guide, underlined the fact that this family were normal flesh and blood people but with an abnormal mission. Everything that we read about them in the New Testament echoes the experience and the history that is the Christian Old Testament and the Jewish Bible that Jesus would read daily in his youth in Nazareth. Caesarea, on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea, has the remains of Herod The Great's Palace and play ground and entertainment Centre he built for the Roman people who were occupying his country around the time Jesus was about. It was from here that Pontious Pilate came to Jerusalem and was part of the judgement of Jesus, from here St Paul sailed to bring the Gospel to other parts of the known world. Maybe even a soldier who sat and watched gladiators fight in the place where we had our group photo taken, just maybe he travelled to Britain and was part of the garrison stationed up on Hadrians Wall. Well maybe not, but those are the sort of thoughts that were passing through my mind as we paddled in the warm waters of that sea that has lapped the beaches of this land since God first looked on the place he would lead His Chosen People to. Why have there been and continue to be so many difficulties for these people? What does the future hold here in Israel? How can I, after my journey here, make and difference? What difference will it make to me and to my mission?   There are many unanswered questions. From Abraham's well to the modern City of Tel Aviv and a jumbo jet back to Ashtead and home. Praise God. Alelluia. Shalom. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Trishx

Israel Blog

Day 10 - Friday 31st October   Sitting here sipping an Israeli Gin and Tonic. Funny gin but more than you are given in a British hotel!! Another amazing day studying our Jewish roots. We began in Capernaum setting off at 8 to miss the rush! Capernaum is the seaside town Jesus escaped to when the people of Nazareth didn't recognise him as anything special. It is the home of Simon Peter and probably other disciples. We visited the synagogue and Peter's house. We said the Sh'ma in the Synagogue which Jesus would have done three times every day: "Hear o Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." I remembered that the Jews in the German concentration camps had said the same words and of course Jews have done just that throughout history. We have been high up in the Golan Heights for most of the day. We have tasted the wine made here and visited both ancient and modern settlements. We have looked out over Syria, Jordan and Israel and wondered about the terrible situation that Jews, Arabs, Moslems, Christians find themselves in in this so beautiful part of the world. There is too much barbed wire, too many high fences protecting different communities and our amazing Messianic Jewish Guide evades the questions about Palestinian Christians too often. And yet we feel the presence of the Lord, we feel the peace of Galilee, we feel the great need of the Chosen People to have a home of their own. You cannot deny they are an efficient people. The roads are good, the fields are full of well ordered plantations of oranges, mangoes, guaves, bananas. Irrigation is well organised even though the Sea of Galilee is so low after years of drought. I for one will come home with more questions unanswered than answered and will look forward to reading the book I ordered from Ashtead library about the modern history of Palestine!   Blessings and love Trish x

Israel Blog

Day 9 - Thursday 30th October   After the spectacular sunset over the Gallilee last night, we awoke to the most beautiful morning, the heat haze rising from the lake. So began the most perfect day. Our intrepid pilgrims set off for Korazim where we discussed the theology of Jesus the Pharasee. From Korazim we travelled to the shores of the lake, where Jesus met His disciples after His resurrection and called to them to let down their nets on the other side, whereapon they caught a huge number of fish, Jesus gently restored Peter after his denial during the arrest only a few days before. There is a lush tropical garden at ths point on the lake, and here we took Communion together in very moving service at a place one might call Paradise. Ready for lunch? This time we treated ourselves to a feast of St Peters fish - dellicous! Back to the lake for a wonderful boat trip in the quiet of the peaceful Gallilee. Of course it didn't stay quiet for long, the captain played some Jewish folk songs and got us on our feet dancing - Halleluyah to the Lord. The Lord is blessing us richly. As the sun went down, we climbed to the top of Mount Arbel for a breathtaking view over Gallilee. I wonder if Jesus came here to pray?

Israel Blog

Day 8 - Wednesday 29th October   What a great day! We went to the site of an ancient Synagogue and they told us the story of their refurbishment. Just like St Giles' Project. They had a committee, they argued over the cost and over who should do the work, what they should do and how to raise the money! Nothing changes over thousands of years! Saw an amazing hydroelectric scheme which has been ruined due to lack of co-operation and a war. Learning loads about community while living as a community - how to be patient and to care for one another. John has even been to a dentist in Jericho supported by Gordon our resident dentist. Rained for 20 minutes, a complete deluge, flash floods came, the most rain for 8 years and we were sitting in a hut listening to it getting texts about snow in England. The rain is considered a blessing and is much enjoyed despite the fact that we had to change our route to avoid floods. Visited a crusader fortress and saw a wonderful view. Peter stood on a plinth pretending to be a greek God - he looked great! Now in Galilee, drinking G & T and enjoying a beautiful evening and a great view after a wonderful sunset over the sea of Galilee. All is well pilgrims on their journey and the heavenly city is in sight. Tell you all about it and show you hundreds of photos when we return."

Israel Blog

Day 7 - Tuesday 28th October   Greetings on this beautiful Wednesday morning from Amog Kibbutz on the Dead Sea here in Israel. We have had rain for two days.....just gentle rain that dries up as soon as it lands but it kept us away from much of the Judean Desert because of flash floods....yes flash floods!! However, all is well and we are on our way to Galilee today. I have a report of yesterday from Ann and Rosemary two of our friends who have joined the Kiteley group from other churches. "As we set out from Jerusalem descending to the lowest point on earth we were told by our guide that today would be very much more relaxed. This proved to be the case when we stopped off at the buriel site of Moses, according to Moslem Tradition (but of course no one really knows). However, we did have time for a ride on a camel. First up were Carol and John followed by others, their faces a picture to behold. The next stop was the Dead Sea where a lot of us took the option to take the plunge, coating ourselves in black mud from the sea bed. One funny memory of this being, Ken and others trying to get Indira to float despite her fears of water. A fun relaxing day." Yes, well I thought the main difficulty was getting ones feet and legs back down once you were afloat. It was really weird and in the rain!!

Israel Blog

Day 6 - Monday 27th October   What a great start to the day, quiet time in Christ Church prayer garden with Martin Hiley watching a parrot feeding on a palm tree seed. Returning to the dining room for breakfast to find.   Today’s forecast was rain. Morning prayer by Jane Hiley. Mount Scopia’s view of Jerusalem. Lots of churches and places of worship. A somber walk down the Mount of Olives which is today set amongst a Jewish cemetery. At the bottom we came to the Dominus Flevit Church (where Jesus wept). A host of other sights including the Garden of Gethsemene where we meditated to the background noise of traffic and the Muslim call to prayer. We saw olive trees being dressed and harvested.   A lunch time stop with panoramic views over Jerusalem was a welcomed stop. From this view point (the gents toilet) was indicated with a man smoking with a pipe. As the only smoker of the part I was the only one aloud in!   The Holy Sepulchre is divided amongst the different denominations present in the Holy Land. The Church being a totally confusing area with each tour guide giving different slants on the same story. A walk through the Old City towards the Damascus gate and into the Garden Tomb – possibly the authentic site for Christ’s burial.

Israel Blog

Day 5 - Sunday 26th October   It was never going to be a normal Sunday, but I had no idea how special it would be. The delightful sounds of sparrows in the Hibiscus Trees in Christ Church guest house courtyard gave way the 6am alarm call (yet another early start) as the sun rose over the Tower of David and streamed in the window. A quick breakfast enabled us to arrive at the West (Wailing) Wall of the Temple Mount after a short walk at the only time permitted for non – Muslims (7:30 – 8:30am). Although all now under Islamic control the 6 acre platform with much of the original stone pavement and its view of the whole city and Mount of Olives, enabled us to visualize the enormity of the temple in Jesus’ time and the many feet that had walked over it since.   It’s not every Sunday that morning communion is conducted in English and Hebrew, but an important reminder of where we are and our roots in Judaism. However, the first hymn was in English. A lovely mixture of traditional and modern, inspiring teaching and prayer, an emotional sharing of the peace followed by breaking bread and sharing wine in our Lords home city.   After lunch some walked the walls, some rested and some went to the Holocaust Museum. All of us were overwhelmed, horrified, yes, even frightened and ashamed of what we saw in that magnificent museum. Although I already new so much about the persecution of the Jewish nation in the 1930s and during the second World War, seeing it all in this place where we have been learning so much about the Jewish roots of our faith, helped it all to become so much more real and terrible – as if it had happened to my family.   “They came for the Communists. I wasn’t a Communist so I didn’t object. They came for the Socialists. I wasn’t a Socialist so I didn’t object. They came for the Jews. I wasn’t a Jew so I didn’t object. When they came for me there was no one left to object.”   Martin Niemoller, German Pastor.   Perhaps that it is only right that now this evening we have shared a Messianic Passover meal together. Today we read the story of the origins of this meal, the first Passover when the Lord saved the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt. A special meal with traditional food and wine shared together in peace here in Jerusalem. Surely, whilst we cannot forget what has happened to the Jewish people, and we must take some of the blame for that ourselves, surely there can be forgiveness and an opportunity to move forward in peace and harmony.   Shalom. The Peace of the Lord be with you.   Now some of them have gone to visit the Wailing Wall and the pavements under the Dome of the Rock. I have stayed home to sort out my suitcase and rest my swollen ankles.   It certainly was a very special day that will long live in the memory – if only we could make all Sundays so special.

Israel Blog

Day 4 - Saturday 25th October   Another phone call; this time from Mark Searle wanting Dan to do something at church. Sadly at £1.50 a minute they chose to cut short their fellowship. Mark forgetting Dan was in Israel! On a more biblical note today saw us heading for Bethlehem en route to Jerusalem. Before arriving at the Church on the Nativity – the birth place of Jesus - we drove through the valley where David slew Goliath. We finally arrived at our home in Jerusalem – the beautiful Christ Church guest house built on the site of Herod’s Garden. From our rooms we can see the Jerusalem’s city wall. Just two minutes away we were treated to a night spectacular courtesy of a roof top walk that commanded views of the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock.

Israel Blog

Day 3 - Friday 24th October   It was all go at 5:30am. The things we do for Jesus! After a 3 hour journey into the Negev Desert (what was the Biblical wilderness) we finally came to the southern most point of Israel where it meets its border with Jordan. We stopped at Timna Park in the Arava Valley where we were treated to the copper mines and a full size replica of the Tabernacle. As we were about to enter the Holy of Holies we heard the unexpected Psalm of the Nokia theme tune! Martin Hiley having received a call from the good folk of St Giles School. He didn’t take the call.         On the way back out of the desert we saw one of the great wonders of nature – the Ramon Crater – a 60km natural depression in the earth surface caused millions of years ago (or on Day 5 depending on your own theological bent!) by the movement of the tectonic plates of Africa and Asia. Eventually we made it back for the start of the Jewish Sabbath and spent our second night in Be’r Sheva.

Israel Blog

Day 2 - Thursday 23rd October. Late.   What a day! We have been following the footsteps of the Patriachs in the Negev Desert starting with the Tel at Beersheba. Beer means "well" and Sheeva means "seven". A Tel is a hill with layer upon layer of different civilisations. So here we are looking at the civilisations as dug up by the archeologists of the Place of the seven wells. One of them could just be Abraham's well. There again maybe it isn't but I, for one, prefer to think it is! We have also visited Tel Arad, the oldest urbanisation in Israel: 5,000 years old, the site of an Israelite fortress. Even better than the Roman Villa on Ashtead Common......or Hadrian's Wall. The area we have travelled through encompasses modern cities like Tel Aviv and Beersheeba and Bedouin villages just one step up from the nomads tent. In fact we did visit a Bedouin Museum and were entertained to tea in a Bedouin Tent. We have seen sheep following their shepherd as they did in biblical times, men on donkeys and camels. It seems the camel is the pride of the Bedouin. He treats it all the time with love and respect. Jamal is the Arab word for beauty and elegance and is the word most commonly used when referring to the camel! A good meal in our hotel, an expensive glass of wine, (just one), and a time of worship together....now it is time to sleep. Breakfast is at 5.00 tomorrow morning!! Have a happy Ashtead weekend.

Israel Blog

Day 1 - Wednesday 22nd October

Greetings from the Marina Hotel in Tel Aviv. All arrived safely praise the Lord. Carol and John kept up with the news at the airport. Stella had a mouse nibbling her toes in the night but otherwise nothing much to report.

The sun is shining, the sea is blue and Dan is helping me with the IT stuff.

We are about to be late for the coach. Have a good day in Ashtead. Love and hugs to all.

Trish x

Israel Blog

The Tickets have arrived! No not for next years Central Court at Wimbledon, although that would be nice. No these tickets are for an El Al flight to Tel Aviv for next Wednesday 22nd October. A group of us from Ashtead are travelling, under the leadership of our brave Rector and his (even braver) wife Alison, to seek the Roots of our Faith in Israel. Yes, it is I (or me) of "Lambeth Blog " fame. I have been persuaded to write a few words about our Pilgrimage to The Holy Land. Hopefully others in the group will chip in as we go along, and, more than hopefully, someone will be clever enough to help me to find a friendly computer in the hotels where we are staying, or an Internet Cafe, so that we can send these ramblings from the furthest out-posts of that land we used to call Palestine. It may not happen every day as it looks as if we are going to be very busy. Over ten days we stay in 5 different beds! And, on the first day after a night in Tel Aviv, we seem to be 40 days in the wilderness before we get to our bed in Beersheba which is right at the bottom of the map somewhere west of the Dead Sea and level with the land of the Philistines, or Gaza if you prefer. Is there a David in our company to fight off any giants that may appear? We have attended three preparative meetings ably led by Kate Weller who is our local authority and will be travelling with us to give us the benefit of her knowledge and experience. Some of us have read books and studied maps, in fact some have been before and I am sure they will be able to help those, like myself, whose knowledge is purely biblical and even that a bit sketchy at times. I am really excited so away I go to start the pile of things on the spare bed and to weigh my suitcase. The first problem seems to be whether the information provided, which I have read I promise, means 20 kilos or 35? Does anyone know?